Rod Lees
Reviews By Author
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Tu-22M3 NK-25 ExhaustPublished:
IPMS/USA gladly welcomes the return of the Advanced Modeling/Amigo team for sending us this new-technology set; their lineup continues to grow! And thanks to Phil and John for obtaining the sets for the team… Advanced Modeling/AMIGO (Hereafter referred to as AM for simplicity) is a Russian company specializing in modern Soviet and Russian aircraft accessories; their first items released a few years ago were weapons, and they have recently branched out into other items, in this case, an upgrade to Trumpeter’s 1/72 Tu-26M3 NK-25 Bomber kit exhaust, augmentor tubes, and afterburner nozzles. AM’s accessory shows the extent 3-D printing has improved the appearance of our available aftermarket… included are 11 resin parts: Exhaust augmentor tubes with excellent cooling liner… more |
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BL 755 Cluster BombsPublished:
IPMS/USA thanks the Eduard team once again for sending us this simple, excellent set for use with many UK fighter aircraft. And thanks to Phil and John for obtaining the sets for the team… An extremely simple, but useful upgrade of any kit utlizing these unique cluster munitions. Consisting of four bomb bodies with fins cast in place (THANK YOU EDUARD), and four sets of fusing windmill vanes. I have only seen one or two sets of these bombs in plastic from modeling companies, and usually these wind vanes are molded as circles. Yep, circles. Kinetic’s bombs have actual vanes, but they are subject to the limits of plastic injection; the resin on Eduard’s set is far better! These vanes look the part and are delicate but take the minor sanding of the backside to remove the pour stub… more |
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AN/ AAQ-28(V) Litening podPublished:
IPMS/USA thanks the Eduard team once again for sending us this simple, excellent set. And thanks to Phil and John for obtaining the sets for the team… An extremely simple, but useful upgrade of any kit needing this pod. Consisting of a resin main body, a resin seeker head, and two different tail vent plates in Photoetch, I had this one knocked out in a couple of hours. First is minor prep; removal of the seeker head was simple, and the same for the main pod body. Careful use of thin superglue ensured the end plate stayed in place, and the seeker head just snaps into place. I primer painted the body after attaching the end plate, and the same for the seeker head. I then painted the pod and head with gunship gray 2 from Tamiya’s rattle can. Leaving it for a couple of days… more |
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B-47 "Horse Collar" JATO SetPublished:
IPMS/USA extends extreme gratitude to Paul and Susy Fisher for sending us this excellent item to upgrade the Hasegawa 1/72 legacy kit B-47 into a combat-ready aircraft with RATO. And thanks to Phil and John, our leaders in the IPMS reviewer corps, for graciously allowing me to review this set… It’s not every day I look at a resin upgrade and go “I wonder what else I can do with this?” Fisher’s 1/72 B-47 RATO Horse Collar and bottles are one of these items. First, it’s a really simple upgrade. One world-famous Fisher single-piece resin casting that fits on the model without major cursing and sanding, and add-ons that make the final product look really great, in the form of 27 RATO Bottles. If you want to see how a B-47 operates on RATO (Rocket Assisted Take Off, or “… more |
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Spitfire Mk IX Cockpit DoorPublished:
IPMS/USA thanks the Aires team once again for sending us this simple, excellent item for use on a kit, in this case, a Quickboost spitfire pilot entry door replacement for the new-mold Revell 1/32 Spitfire Mk V through IX. And thanks to Phil and John for obtaining the sets for the team… This set consists of one detailed entry door and a crowbar. The door is detailed enough you can leave the crowbar out (which I understand was a frequent option) if you so desire. The door contains frame and latch details, the torque tube with detailed U-drive section, and stringer detail. Simplicity is the byword… leave on the pour stub, spray with your favorite lacquer primer, then paint with interior green and carefully weather and wash. Remove from the pour stub CAREFULLY, as the… more |
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Spitfire Mk IX Exhaust - Oval OpeningsPublished:
IPMS/USA thanks the Aires team once again for sending us this simple, excellent item for use on a kit, in this case, a Quickboost engine exhaust replacement for the new-mold Revell 1/32 Spitfire Mk V through IX. And thanks to Phil and John for obtaining the sets for the team… This set consists of two exhaust banks. This set is the oval/round openings version, and is perfectly designed to install in the Revell new mold 1/32 Spitfire Mk V through IX series. Why buy? The kit items come in halves, split down the middle, and therefore have an almost impossible to fill seam which destroys the detail. Uhg. Enter Quickboost... The castings are perfectly formed, and have excellent weld detail along with deep exhaust throats. All you have to do is Primer, Paint on… more |
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Lysander Mk. III Control Surfaces - Elevators and StabilizersPublished:
IPMS/USA thanks the Aires team once again for sending us this simple, excellent item for use on a kit, in this case the Eduard (formerly Gavia) Lysander Mk. III. And thanks to Phil and John for obtaining the sets for the team… This set consists of eight resin parts to replace the kit’s solid, neutral position Horizontal Stabilizer and Elevators. There are two elevators with leading edge, two stabilizers with concave aerodynamic coves for accepting the elevators, and four hinges. I liked this set because it gives the kit a more natural look.. Even with aerodynamic mass balances at the end of the leading edge tip of the elevators (which is what those bulky “tabs” on the front of the elevator are, (To prevent damaging and even dangerous “buzz” or “Flutter” in flight, which… more |
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Spitfire Mk IX Exhaust – Fishtail OpeningsPublished:
IPMS/USA thanks the Aires team once again for sending us this simple, excellent item for use on a kit, in this case, a Quickboost engine exhaust replacement for the new-mold Revell 1/32 Spitfire Mk V through IX. And thanks to Phil and John for obtaining the sets for the team… This set consists of two exhaust banks. This set is the fishtail openings version, and is perfectly designed to install in the Revell new mold 1/32 Spitfire Mk V through IX series. Why buy? The kit items come in halves, split down the middle, and therefore have an almost impossible to fill seam which destroys the detail. Ugh. Enter Quickboost. The castings are perfectly formed, and have excellent weld detail along with deep exhaust throats. All you have to do is Primer, Paint on… more |
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WWII German Infantry - Driver for KettenkraftradPublished:
IPMS/USA thanks the Aires Aerobonus team once again for sending us this simple, excellent items for use in a diorama setting. And thanks to Phil and John for obtaining the sets for the team… This set consists of one perfectly cast figure of a Kettenkraftrad driver. These vehicles were used on many German airfields later in the war to move smaller aircraft around the local flughafen. (One of these also served as a “Rabbit” decoy in the movie “Saving Private Ryan” in the last battle scene). Not much to say here: It’s simple but can be done to excellent standard if you have the tools, time, and skills. With my painting ability, I could do a lot better, but I’m on deadlines. You get the idea. Paint, wash, highlight, done. I just love micro photography too: shows up every… more |
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WWII German InfantryPublished:
IPMS/USA thanks the Aires Aerobonus team once again for sending us this simple, excellent items for use in a diorama setting. And thanks to Phil and John for obtaining the sets for the team. This set consists of one perfectly cast figure of an infantryman with a pail/bucket and a rifle. Six parts on one pour block, with main body/torso, two arms, one head with helmet, one bucket, and one rifle. Standard fare with a lifelike pose in walking mode, looking to his left with helmet in hand. The facial features are natural and after light priming take paint and detail wash well. Details include a cartridge container and overall fall/winter jacket. It looks to be around 1940-42 uniform to me as an uninitiated figure guy. I added a metal handle for the bucket from fuse… more |